Jay to vote on $6 million budget, elect officials

JAY – Residents will consider a proposed $6.02 million municipal budget for 2017-18 on Tuesday, April 25, at the annual town meeting referendum.

The proposal factors in a second $1.33 million payment to Verso Corp. for a tax settlement agreement.

The polls will be open from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. at the Community Building. Absentee ballots are available through April 20. After that, residents would need to sign a form that they have a “special circumstance” in order to qualify for an absentee ballot.

Residents will elect two selectpersons and two Regional School Unit 73 board members. Running for fourth selectperson are F. Timothy “Tim” DeMillo and Ricky Merrill.

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Three people are vying for the fifth selectperson seat. They are Anthony “Tony” Couture, Gary McGrane and Thomas “Tom” Goding.

Dale LeBlanc and Robert Staples are running unopposed for two, three-year terms on the Regional School Unit 73 board of directors.

Residents in the Jay Village and North Jay water districts will each have a trustee to elect. Gerald Hutchinson is running for re-election to the Jay Village Water District and Raymond Fleury II is seeking another term on the North Jay Water District.

The budget proposal is $750,802 more than the current budget. After factoring in revenues, it leaves a $4.38 million net budget, which is $504,102 million more than what taxpayers raised last year for municipal expenditures.

Residents will have 27 articles to consider.

The spending proposal factors in several reductions, including the elimination of a Transfer Station employee, a police detective, curbside trash and recyclables pickup, and a buildings grounds position to part-time.

The plan also eliminates town report printing, a captain position on Fire Rescue Department, and donations to nonprofit organizations. It reflects Public Works Department taking over mowing cemeteries and town grounds, and reduces or eliminates capital reserve funding.

It also calls for sewer rates to increase. It decreases election staffing, software, and General Assistance funding. Under the plan, a part-time police officer position will be added to allow the detective to do some detective work.